JP2018079753A - Vehicle operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle operation device which enables an occupant to unfailingly and easily conduct operations of vehicle functions.SOLUTION: An vehicle operation device 11 of the invention includes: armrests 19, 20 on which arms 43 of an occupant 12 seated on a seat 15 are placed; and function operation parts 40, 41 which control functions of a vehicle 10. The function operation parts 40, 41 are disposed at sides of the armrests 19, 20 and below upper ends of the armrests 19, 20. Further, each of the armrests 19, 20 has a contact surface 32 with which the arm 43 of the occupant 12 contacts during driving; and guide surfaces 30, 31 extending from the contact surface 32 to the function operation part 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular operating device, and more particularly to a vehicular operating device that can be easily operated by an occupant during automatic driving.

  Conventionally, a device for stopping a vehicle such as an automobile generally operates a braking device when a driver steps on a brake pedal with his / her foot. In recent years, in order to reduce traffic accidents, driving assistance devices that assist the driver's operation and automatically stop the vehicle in an emergency or the like have appeared. Furthermore, an automatic driving support apparatus that makes a vehicle run automatically without requiring a driving operation such as steering by a driver is becoming widespread.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic driving support device in which an accelerator operation, a brake operation, and a steering wheel operation, which are operations related to the behavior of a vehicle, are all controlled by a vehicle control ECU, and an automatic driving independent of a driver's operation can be performed. Is disclosed. The automatic driving support device disclosed in Patent Document 1 controls driving of an engine device, a brake device, an electric power steering, and the like, and performs automatic driving until an interruption timing on a guide route.

  Further, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a technical matter for setting the seat to a relax mode during automatic driving for the purpose of reducing driver fatigue in the above automatic driving. Specifically, when the vehicle is in an automatic driving state, the seat is moved backward, and the seat back is further tilted backward. By doing in this way, a driver | operator can be kept away from a steering wheel, steering by automatic driving | operation etc. can be prevented, and a driver | operator's fatigue reduction can be aimed at.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-178332 http: // www. volvocars. com / jp / about / ourcompany / pressrelease / 2015/20151119 (searched on October 12, 2016)

  However, even in a vehicle equipped with the above-described automatic driving support device, not all of the behavior of the vehicle is performed by the automatic driving support device, but part of the behavior of the vehicle is determined by a passenger such as a driver. Needed. For example, when the vehicle is performing an automatic driving operation, it is necessary for the passenger to make a decision such as whether or not to overtake other vehicles traveling ahead and whether to change the lane to the left or right when overtaking The operation described above requires an operation on the vehicle based on the judgment of the occupant. Further, even if the vehicle travels to the vicinity of the destination by automatic driving, an operation based on the judgment of the occupant is required to determine where the vehicle is parked in the parking lot near the destination. In addition, when an emergency situation such as an obstacle exists in front of the vehicle while the vehicle is performing an automatic driving operation, a quick manual operation by the occupant is required to avoid the emergency situation. .

  On the other hand, while the automatic driving operation is being performed, the occupant including the driver lies on the seat in the relaxed position. Specifically, the occupant lies down on the seat cushion and the seat back in a collapsed state, and both arms of the occupant are placed on the upper surface of the armrest. Therefore, even when an occupant tries to operate an operation switch or the like to control the function of the vehicle while an automatic driving operation is being performed, the distance from the armrest on which the arm is placed to the instrument panel of the vehicle Since it is long, there is a problem that it is difficult for the occupant to operate a desired operation switch. For the same reason, there is a problem that it is difficult for a passenger who is relaxed by placing both arms on the armrest to perform a quick manual operation when the occupant releases the armrest and operates the operation switch.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular operating device that can reliably and easily operate a vehicle function by an occupant.

  The vehicle operation device of the present invention includes an armrest on which an arm of an occupant seated on a seat is placed, and a function operation unit that controls a function of the vehicle, and the function operation unit is located on a side of the armrest. And arranged below the upper end of the armrest, the armrest being in contact with the arm of the occupant during driving, and a guide surface extending from the contact surface toward the functional operation unit It is characterized by having.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, the contact surface and the guide surface are formed as a continuous surface.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit and the guide surface are provided on a side of the armrest opposite to the occupant.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit is arranged in front of a front end of the armrest.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit is arranged in front of the front end of the armrest when the seat is in a relaxed position.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, the guide surfaces are formed on both sides of the armrest in the width direction.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, a lower support portion that supports the arm or hand of the occupant from below is formed at the lower end of the guide surface.

  In the vehicle operating device according to the present invention, an outer support portion that supports the arm or hand of the occupant from the outside is formed outside the guide surface.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the upper end of the guide surface is disposed inwardly and rearward in a top view.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, the vehicle is automatically operated, and the function of the vehicle that is set to the automatic operation is controlled via the function operation unit.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit and the guide surface are provided on a side of the armrest opposite to the occupant.

  The vehicle operation device of the present invention includes an armrest on which an arm of an occupant seated on a seat is placed, and a function operation unit that controls a function of the vehicle, and the function operation unit is located on a side of the armrest. And arranged below the upper end of the armrest, the armrest being in contact with the arm of the occupant during driving, and a guide surface extending from the contact surface toward the functional operation unit It is characterized by having. Therefore, when operation by the occupant is required during driving, the occupant can easily reach the function operation unit by moving his arm along the guide surface of the armrest, and operate the function operation unit. The vehicle functions can be easily controlled.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, the contact surface and the guide surface are formed as a continuous surface. Therefore, the passenger's arm or hand can be smoothly slid along the continuous contact surface and guide surface, and the passenger's hand can easily reach the function operation unit.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit and the guide surface are provided on a side of the armrest opposite to the occupant. Therefore, when the occupant moves the arm to the heel, the arm or hand can be slid along the guide surface formed on the opposite side of the occupant and the function operation unit can be operated by hand. In addition, it is possible to improve safety in an emergency, and at the same time, the function operation unit cannot be operated unless the arm is moved to the opposite side of the occupant with the intention to operate. It is possible to prevent erroneous operation.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit is arranged in front of a front end of the armrest. Therefore, when operating the function of the vehicle, the occupant operates the function operation unit by sliding his / her arm sideward and downward along the guide surface and then reaching forward. Therefore, since the occupant's hand does not reach the function operation unit only by unnecessarily moving the occupant's arm along the guide surface, it is possible to prevent the occupant from erroneously operating the function operation unit during driving.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit is arranged in front of the front end of the armrest when the seat is in a relaxed position. Therefore, when an occupant lying on a seat that is in a relaxed position during automatic driving operates the vehicle function, the occupant slides his / her arm on the guide surface of the armrest, so that it is placed forward of the front end of the armrest. The function operation unit can be easily operated.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, the guide surfaces are formed on both sides of the armrest in the width direction. Therefore, even when the function operation portions are formed on both sides in the width direction with respect to the armrest, the occupant slides the arm along the right or left guide surface to Instant contact.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, a lower support portion that supports the arm or hand of the occupant from below is formed at the lower end of the guide surface. Therefore, when the occupant moves the arm downward along the guide surface to operate the vehicle, the arm or hand is supported by the lower support portion at the lower end of the guide surface, and excessive movement of the arm downward is suppressed. The passenger's hand is placed in the vicinity of the function operation unit. Therefore, the passenger can easily operate the function operation unit with his / her hand.

  In the vehicle operating device according to the present invention, an outer support portion that supports the arm or hand of the occupant from the outside is formed outside the guide surface. Therefore, when the occupant moves the arm downward along the guide surface to operate the vehicle, the arm or hand is supported from the outside by the outer support portion at the lower end of the guide surface, and the occupant's hand is Located in the vicinity. Therefore, the passenger can easily operate the function operation unit with his / her hand.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the upper end of the guide surface is disposed inwardly and rearward in a top view. Therefore, it becomes easier for the occupant to slide the arm along the guide surface around the elbow placed on the upper surface of the armrest.

  In the vehicle operating device of the present invention, the vehicle is automatically operated, and the function of the vehicle that is set to the automatic operation is controlled via the function operation unit. Therefore, the occupant can control the function of the vehicle in the automatic driving state after sliding the arm along the guide surface.

  In the vehicular operating device according to the present invention, the function operating unit and the guide surface are provided on a side of the armrest opposite to the occupant. Therefore, by providing the function operation unit and guide surface related to safe driving of the vehicle on the opposite side of the armrest, slide the hand or arm with the guide surface formed on the opposite side in the event of an emergency operation requiring emergency operation. The function operation unit can be operated quickly and accurately. Furthermore, since the intention to operate is revealed and the arm cannot be operated unless the arm is moved to the opposite side of the occupant, erroneous operations other than in an emergency can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a figure which shows the vehicle operating device concerning one Embodiment of this invention, (A) is a perspective view which shows the sheet | seat to which the vehicle operating device is applied, (B) is the vehicle operating device applied. It is a side view which shows a vehicle. It is a figure which shows the operating device for vehicles concerning one Embodiment of this invention, (A) is a top view which shows the seat which the passenger | crew sat down, (B) is a top view which shows the operating device for vehicles, (C) And (D) is sectional drawing of the operating device for vehicles. FIG. 5 is a front view showing a situation in which the occupant's arm slides on the armrest in the vehicle operating device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the operating device for vehicles concerning one Embodiment of this invention, (A) And (B) is sectional drawing which shows the other form of an armrest. It is a figure which shows the operating device for vehicles concerning one Embodiment of this invention, and is a front view which shows the other form of the operating device for vehicles. It is a figure which shows the operating device for vehicles concerning one Embodiment of this invention, (A) to (C) is a top view which shows the form of a function operation part. It is a figure which shows the operating device for vehicles concerning one Embodiment of this invention, (A) is a perspective view which shows a function operation part, (B) is a side view which shows a function operation part.

  Hereinafter, a vehicle operating device 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same members in principle, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Further, in the following description, the respective directions of up, down, front, back, left, and right are used.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the sheet | seat 15 with which the vehicle 10 with which the operating device 11 for vehicles of this form is applied is provided is demonstrated. FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing the seat 15, and FIG. 1B is a side view showing the seat 15 together with the occupant 12 as a relaxed position.

  With reference to FIG. 1 (A), the seat 15 supports the back of the occupant 12 from the rear by pivotally connecting the seat cushion 16 that supports the buttocks of the occupant 12 from below and the rear end of the seat cushion 16. The seat back 17 has a headrest 18 attached to the upper end of the seat back 17 so as to be movable in the vertical direction and supporting the head of the occupant 12 from behind. Furthermore, armrests 19 and 20 that support the arm 43 of the occupant 12 from below are rotatably connected to both lateral sides of the seat back 17. Here, the armrests 19 and 20 can be provided independently of the main body of the seat 15, and the armrests 19 and 20 may be supported by a support portion (not shown) extending from the floor surface of the vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the form of the armrests 19 and 20 is a shape that allows smooth manual operation by the occupant 12 during automatic operation, and such matters will be described later.

  FIG. 1A shows the form of the seat 15 during manual operation in which the occupant 12 performs the steering operation such as acceleration / deceleration, steering, shift change, etc. of the vehicle 10 by himself / herself. It is called.

  FIG. 1B shows the form of the seat 15 during automatic driving in which a control device (not shown) automatically performs steering operations such as acceleration / deceleration, steering, and shift change of the vehicle 10. Such a form of the sheet 15 is called a relax position. The form of the seat 15 in the relaxed position is such that the entire seat 15 is moved rearward, the seat back 17 is tilted backward, and the rear portion of the seat cushion 16 is raised as compared with that in the driving position. By doing so, the shape of the upper surface of the seat 15 in the relaxed position becomes close to a flat surface, and the occupant 12 lies on the upper surface of the seat 15, so that the degree of fatigue of the occupant 12 can be reduced. Furthermore, the occupant 12 can be kept away from the steering handle or accelerator pedal of the vehicle 10 to prevent malfunction during automatic driving. Here, the relax position and the driving position may be executed using a sheet memory that controls the position and orientation of the seat 15 by an actuator by calling up information stored in the storage device.

  Further, in the relaxed position, the arm 43 of the occupant 12 is placed on the upper surface of the armrest 20, thereby preventing the arm 43 of the occupant 12 from getting tired during automatic driving. In the present embodiment, a function operation unit 40 that controls functions such as the above-described steering operation of the vehicle 10 is disposed near the front of the armrest 20 of the seat 15, and the vehicle operation device 11 is configured by the armrest 20 and the function operation unit 40. Is configured. The configuration and operation of the vehicle operating device 11 will be described later.

  Here, automatic driving of the vehicle 10 will be described. In the automatic driving state, a control device (not shown) constantly monitors the current vehicle running state, the external environment, and the like. And a control apparatus controls steering apparatuses, such as a brake, an accelerator, and a steering wheel, and performs an appropriate automatic driving | operation according to the present condition. Further, when the vehicle 10 is in the automatic driving state, the control device drives the seat driving device such as a motor to change the seat 15 from the driving position to the relaxing position. Further, the control device shifts from automatic driving to manual driving based on the judgment of the control device itself or based on the operation of the occupant 12, and thereafter, the occupant 12 operates the above-described control device to steer the vehicle 10. Furthermore, when shifting from automatic operation to manual operation, the control device drives the seat driving device to change the seat 15 from the relaxed position to the driving position.

  Moreover, even if the vehicle 10 is in an automatic driving state, a manual operation by the occupant 12 may be required. Specifically, as described above, it is necessary for the passenger to make a decision such as whether or not to overtake other vehicles traveling in front of the vehicle and whether to change the lane to the left or right when overtaking. The occupant 12 gives an instruction to the vehicle 10 by operating the function operation unit 40. When the vehicle 10 arrives near the destination by automatic driving, the occupant 12 instructs the position of the parking lot near the destination by operating the function operation unit 40. Furthermore, when an emergency such as an obstacle exists in front of the vehicle 10 while the vehicle 10 is performing an automatic driving operation, the occupant 12 is connected to the function operation unit to avoid the emergency. By operating 40, an instruction is given to the vehicle 10. Such matters will be described in detail.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the vehicle operating device 11 of this embodiment will be described in detail. 2A is a top view of the seat 15 as viewed from above, FIG. 2B is a top view of the armrest 20 as viewed from above, and FIG. 2C is a view in the vicinity of the tip of the armrest 20. 2D is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of the central portion of the armrest 20. In FIG. 2A, the occupant 12 lying on the seat 15 is indicated by a dotted line.

  Referring to FIG. 2A, the armrests 19 and 20 are disposed on the left and right side surfaces of the seatback 17 of the seat 15 as described above. The shape is easy to move.

  Referring to FIG. 2B, a contact surface 32 and guide surfaces 30 and 31 are formed on the upper surface of the armrest 20. The contact surface 32 is a horizontal flat surface formed at the center of the upper surface of the armrest 20, and the arm 43 and the hand 44 of the occupant 12 are placed on the upper surface of the contact surface 32 during automatic operation.

  The guide surface 30 is an inclined surface in which the left portion of the upper surface of the armrest 20 is inclined downward toward the left. In other words, the guide surface 30 extends from the left side end side of the contact surface 32 toward the function operation unit 40 described below. As will be described later, the arm 43 of the occupant 12 who wants to operate the function of the vehicle 10 can be easily moved to the left along the guide surface 30. Similarly, the guide surface 31 is an inclined surface in which the right portion of the upper surface of the armrest 20 is inclined downward toward the right, and the arm of the occupant 12 who wants to operate the function of the vehicle 10 as will be described later. 43 can be easily moved to the right along the guide surface 30. Here, the guide surfaces 30 and 31 may be flat inclined surfaces, may be inclined surfaces that are convexly convex upward, or may be inclined surfaces that are convexly curved downward.

  In this embodiment, the contact surface 32 and the guide surfaces 30 and 31 are formed as continuous surfaces. Here, both the contact surface 32 and the guide surfaces 30 and 31 may be directly continuous. Further, a relay surface (not shown) is formed between the contact surface 32 and the guide surfaces 30 and 31, and the contact surface 32 and the guide surfaces 30 and 31 are indirectly connected via the relay surface. May be. Further, the continuous surface formed by the contact surface 32 and the guide surfaces 30 and 31 being continuous may be curved or linear. In this way, by forming the contact surface 32 and the guide surfaces 30 and 31 as a continuous surface, the arm 43 and the hand 44 of the occupant 12 can be smoothly slid along the continuous surface, The function operation unit 40 can be operated easily and accurately.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), the upper end portion of the guide surface 30 has an inclined shape that is disposed inwardly in the top view, in other words, the guide surface 30 is The rear part is cut inward from the front part. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2C, the width in the left-right direction of the guide surface 30 is narrow in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the armrest 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 2D, the width in the left-right direction of the guide surface 30 becomes wider near the center of the armrest 20.

  When the occupant 12 operates a function operation unit 40 described later, the occupant 12 performs an operation operation by rotating the arm 43 clockwise around a rotation center 42 defined in the vicinity of the rear end of the armrest 20. . At this time, the rear portion of the guide surface 30 is cut inward in the left-right direction, so that the occupant 12 can rotate the arm 43 while sliding along the guide surface 30.

  The same applies to the guide surface 31, and as shown in FIG. 2B, the upper end portion of the guide surface 31 has an inclined shape that is arranged inwardly in the rear view. ing. With this shape, the occupant 12 can slide and rotate the arm 43 along the guide surface 31 when the occupant 12 operates a function operation unit 41 described later.

  With reference to FIG. 2 (B) and FIG. 2 (C), in this embodiment, the function operation unit 40 for operating the function of the vehicle 10 is located on the side of the armrest 20 in the left-right direction, and the armrest 20 It arranges below the upper end of. Furthermore, the function operation part 40 is arrange | positioned ahead from the front end of the armrest 20 here. The function operation unit 40 is, for example, an operation unit that controls a steering function of the vehicle 10 such as a brake, an accelerator, and a handle.

  In this way, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, when the occupant 12 manually operates the function of the vehicle 10 during automatic driving, the arm 43 (particularly the forearm) is used as a contact surface that is the upper surface of the armrest 20. From 32, the function operation unit 40 can be easily operated with its hand 44 by sliding it to the left and downward along the guide surface 30. At that time, as shown in FIG. 2B, the guide surface is rotated while the arm 43 is rotated clockwise with the elbow attached to the rotation center 42 defined on the rear side of the armrest 20. The arm 43 may be slid along 30.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the function operation unit 40 is disposed in front of the armrest 20 at a distance from the front end, the occupant 12 holds the arm 43 after performing the above-described sliding operation. You may make it operate by contacting the function operation part 40 with the hand 44 of the passenger | crew 12 by extending ahead. That is, the hand 44 of the occupant 12 lying on the seat 15 that is in the relaxed position during the automatic operation cannot reach the function operation unit 40 inadvertently, and the occupant 12 who desires the operation is lying down. The hand 44 is reached when it is extended. By doing in this way, it can prevent that the passenger | crew 12 unnecessarily operates the function operation part 40 at the time of automatic driving | operation, and malfunction occurs. Furthermore, the occupant 12 can move the hand 44 to the vicinity of the function operation unit 40 only by sliding the arm 43 along the guide surface 30 and extending the arm 43 forward. Even if the position is not visually confirmed, a predetermined operation can be performed by extending the hand 44 to the function operation unit 40 at a desired timing.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 2B, the function operation unit 41 is disposed forward and to the right of the front end of the armrest 20 in a plan view. In addition, referring to FIGS. 2C and 2D, the function operation unit 41 is disposed below the upper end of the armrest 20. Therefore, during automatic driving, the occupant 12 can easily operate the function operation unit 41 with his / her hand 44 by sliding the arm 43 toward the lower right side along the guide surface 31.

  Moreover, when the form of the sheet | seat 15 is made into the relax position at the time of automatic driving | operation, the above-mentioned function operation parts 40 and 41 are arrange | positioned ahead of the front end of an armrest. In this way, the occupant 12 lying on the seat 15 that is in the relaxed position during automatic driving slides the arm 43 and the hand 44 along the guide surfaces 30 and 31 of the armrest 20, and then the hand 44. By moving the vehicle forward, the function operation units 40 and 41 can be reached quickly and reliably and the functions of the vehicle 10 can be operated. Further, the function operation units 40 and 41 are moved away from the hand 44 of the occupant 12 lying on the seat 15 that is in a relaxed position during automatic driving, and the hand 44 of the occupant 12 is unnecessary during the automatic driving. Can be prevented from touching. Further, the function operation units 40 and 41 are arranged in a range where the hand 44 can reach when the arm 43 is extended by exposing the intention of the occupant 12 to operate during automatic driving.

  Moreover, you may provide the function operation parts 40 and 41 with the function according to those positions. For example, the function operation unit 40 arranged on the left side is given a function of changing the lane of the vehicle 10 to the left side, and the function operation unit 41 arranged on the right side is a function of changing the lane of the vehicle 10 to the right side. Is granted. By doing so, the occupant 12 can more intuitively operate the function operation units 40 and 41, and can suppress erroneous operations.

  Furthermore, the function operation unit 40 and the guide surface 30 are provided on the opposite side of the armrest 20 from the occupant 12. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the function operation unit 40 and the guide surface 30 are arranged on the left side (outside) which is the opposite side with respect to the occupant 12 of the armrest 20. ing. By doing so, it is possible to assist the occupant 12 with the guide surface 30 in an inconvenient manner. For example, when an emergency such as an obstacle existing in front of the vehicle 10 occurs when the vehicle 10 is in an automatic driving state, the occupant 12 uses the arm 43 or the hand 44 as a reflective action. Are slid along the guide surface 30 formed on the opposite side to the function operation unit 40. Accordingly, the occupant 12 can quickly avoid an emergency by operating the function operation unit 40 with the hand 44. At the same time, the function operation unit 40 cannot be operated unless the intention to operate is revealed and the arm 43 is moved to the opposite side of the occupant 12, so that erroneous operation of the function operation unit 40 other than in an emergency can be suppressed.

  In particular, when the operation function related to safety of the vehicle 10 is operated by the function operation unit 40, the guide surface 30 formed on the opposite side of the armrest 20 as described above due to the reflex operation of the occupant 12 in an emergency or the like. The arm 43 and the hand 44 can be slid along and the function operation unit 40 can be operated quickly and accurately. Therefore, the occupant 12 can steer the vehicle 10 safely and reliably in an emergency in the automatic driving state.

  The above-mentioned matter is the same also about the armrest 19 arrange | positioned on the right side of the sheet | seat 15 with reference to FIG. 2 (A). That is, the guide surfaces 30 and 31 described above are formed on the armrest 19, and the function operation units 40 and 41 described above are disposed in front of the armrest 19. Then, the occupant 12 slides the right arm 43 along the guide surfaces 30 and 31 of the armrest 19 and operates the function operation units 40 and 41 as necessary during automatic driving, thereby operating the vehicle 10. Operate the function.

  With reference to FIG. 4, the shape of the armrest 20 will be further described. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing another form of the armrest 20, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing still another form of the armrest 20.

  With reference to FIG. 4A, here, a lower support portion 33 is formed on the outer side (left side) of the guide surface 30. The upper surface of the lower support portion 33 is formed as a surface continuous with the outer end portion of the guide surface 30, and is a horizontal or substantially horizontal flat surface. By forming the lower support portion 33 as described above, the arm 43 or the hand 44 of the occupant 12 that slides on the guide surface 30 is received on the upper surface of the lower support portion 33 and the arm 43 is held at a predetermined position. The function operation unit 40 can be operated reliably and easily. Here, the upper surface of the lower support portion 33 is not necessarily a horizontal flat surface, and may be an inclined surface that is inclined upward toward the outside, or a concave shape that is recessed downward. The same applies to the lower support portion 34 formed on the outer side (right side) of the guide surface 31 in the right portion of the armrest 20.

  With reference to FIG. 4 (B), the outer side support part 35 is formed in the outer side (left side) of the guide surface 30 here. The outer support portion 35 is a portion that protrudes upward from the left end portion of the armrest 20, and a gap that can accommodate the arm 43 or the hand 44 of the occupant 12 is provided between the outer support portion 35 and the guide surface 30. It is formed. By forming the outer support portion 35 as described above, the arm 43 or the hand 44 of the occupant 12 that slides on the guide surface 30 is received by the inner side surface of the outer support portion 35 under the usage condition, and the arm 43 or the hand 44 is received. Can be fixed at a predetermined position, and the operation of the function operation unit 40 can be performed reliably and easily. In addition, the shape of the inner side surface of the outer support portion 35 is a curved shape that matches the shape of the back of the hand 44 of the occupant 12 (the shape in which the upper portion curves inward), so that The effect of holding 44 can be further increased. The same applies to the outer support portion 36 formed on the outer side (right side) of the guide surface 31 in the right portion of the armrest 20.

  Here, the lower support portions 33 and 34 shown in FIG. 4A and the outer support portions 35 and 36 shown in FIG. 4B may be combined. That is, the outer support portions 35 and 36 may be formed outside the lower support portions 33 and 34 in the left-right direction.

  With reference to FIG. 5, the other form of the operating device 11 for vehicles is demonstrated. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the vehicle operating device 11 and the seat 15 from the front. The basic configuration of the vehicle operating device 11 shown here is the same as that described with reference to the above-described drawings, and the configuration of the contact surface 32 formed on the armrest 20 is different. Here, only the guide surface 30, the lower support portion 33, and the function operation portion 40 formed on the left side that is the outside of the armrest 20 are shown.

  Specifically, the contact surface 32 is formed over the entire upper surface of the armrest 20. In other words, the contact surface 32 is a substantially flat rectangular horizontal surface that constitutes the upper surface of the armrest 20. A guide surface 30 extending from the left end of the contact surface 32 toward the lower left is continuous. At the left end of the guide surface 30, a lower support portion 33 that is a substantially horizontal plane is continuous. By doing so, for example, during the automatic operation, the arm 43 and the hand 44 of the occupant 12 described above can be stably supported by the contact surface 32 that is widely formed over the entire upper surface of the armrest 20.

  When the occupant 12 operates the functions of the vehicle 10 during automatic driving, the occupant 12 (not shown) slides the arm 43 or the hand 44 from the contact surface 32 along the guide surface 30 to the lower left, The function operation unit 40 is operated with the hand 44. At that time, the arm 43 or the arm 43 slid along the guide surface 30 is supported by the lower support portion 33.

  With reference to FIG. 6, the position of the function operation unit 40 described above will be described. 6A, 6B, and 6C are top views of the vehicle 10 showing positions where the function operation unit 40 is formed. In each figure of FIG. 6, since only the function operation part 40 is arrange | positioned in the left front of the armrest 20, the case where the guide surface 30 is formed only in the left part of the armrest 20 is shown.

  With reference to FIG. 6 (A), the function operation part 40 is formed in the front part of the door side armrest 26 formed in the door trim 23. FIG. Since the door side armrest 26 is disposed in the vicinity of the front end of the armrest 20, it is suitable as a member on which the functional operation unit 40 is disposed.

  Referring to FIG. 6B, here, the function operation unit 40 is formed on the upper surface of the rear extension 24 obtained by extending the left end of the instrument panel 22 toward the rear.

  Referring to FIG. 6C, here, the front extension portion 25 is formed by extending the front end portion of the armrest 20 forward to the left side, and a functional operation is performed on the upper surface of the front extension portion 25. A portion 40 is formed. With this configuration, the relative position between the function operation unit 40 and the armrest 20 can be fixed, and the function operation unit 40 can be stably operated.

  The above-mentioned matters are the same for the armrest 19 on the right side shown in FIG. 2 (A). In the vicinity of the armrest 19, FIG. 6 (A), FIG. 6 (B) or FIG. The function operation unit 41 can be disposed at the position shown in FIG.

  With reference to FIG. 7, the structure of the above-described function operation unit 40 will be described in further detail. FIG. 7A is a perspective view showing the arrangement and the like of each switch in the function operation unit 40, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view showing the function operation unit 40.

  Referring to FIG. 7A, the function operation unit 40 includes a contact surface 50 whose upper portion is inclined toward the front, a plurality of switches 51 disposed on the contact surface 50, and the like. . A relatively large switch 51 is disposed near the center of the contact surface 50. The switch 51 is, for example, a dial type switch that can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise, and has a size that can be grasped by a finger of the occupant 12. By rotating or pressing the switch 51 or the like, it is possible to operate a function that is highly likely to cause a malfunction if the intention of the occupant 12 is not exhibited. For example, the traveling speed, steering direction, lane of the vehicle 10 The change direction, emergency stop, stop position designation, etc. can be operated.

  Around the switch 51, relatively small switches 52, 53, 54, 55 are arranged. The switches 52, 53, 54, and 55 are, for example, push button type switches, and are function switches that operate predetermined functions of the vehicle 10 when pressed. The switches 52, 53, 54, and 55 are disposed at locations corresponding to the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the occupant 12, respectively. Functions realized by pressing the switch 52 and the like include, for example, lane change, acceleration, deceleration, gear change, temperature setting in the passenger compartment, setting the air volume of the conditioned air traveling in the passenger compartment, and canceling these functions Etc.

  By providing the switch 51 and the like having such a configuration on the contact surface 50, the occupant 12 extends the arm 43 forward and the tips of the fingers of the hand 44 on the contact surface 50 without looking at the function operation unit 40. It is possible to operate each function of the vehicle 10 by operating the switch 51 and the like with a finger, and the functions of the vehicle 10 can be operated more easily.

  Referring to FIG. 7B, the inclination angle θ at which the contact surface 50 is inclined from the horizontal plane is set such that the fingers of the hand 44 extended forward can be brought into contact with each other almost simultaneously. For example, the range of the inclination angle θ is not less than 40 degrees and not more than 70 degrees. By setting the inclination angle θ to such a range, the occupant 12 can surely touch each finger.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was shown, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, in FIG. 2B, the guide surfaces 30 and 31 are formed on the left and right sides of the armrest 20, but only one of the guide surface 30 and the guide surface 31 may be formed on the armrest 20.

  In FIG. 2A, the vehicle operating device 11 of this embodiment is provided on the seat 15 that is the driver's seat, but the vehicle operating device 11 is provided on the front passenger seat other than the driver's seat or another seat that is the rear seat. It may be provided.

  Referring to FIG. 2 (B), in the above embodiment, the function control of the vehicle 10 involving the sliding operation using the guide surfaces 30 and 31 of the armrest 20 is performed while the automatic operation is being performed. Such functional control with a sliding operation may be performed during manual operation or when the vehicle 10 is stopped.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle 11 Vehicle operating device 12 Passenger 15 Seat 16 Seat cushion 17 Seat back 18 Headrest 19 Armrest 20 Armrest 22 Instrument panel 23 Door trim 24 Back extension 25 Front extension 26 Door side armrest 30 Guide surface 31 Guide surface 32 Contact surface 33 Lower support part 34 Lower support part 35 Outer support part 36 Outer support part 40 Function operation part 41 Function operation part 42 Center of rotation 43 Arm 44 Hand 50 Contact surface 51 Switch 52 Switch 53 Switch 54 Switch 55 Switch

Claims (11)

An armrest on which an arm of an occupant seated on the seat is placed; and a function operation unit that controls a function of the vehicle;
The function operation unit is located on the side of the armrest and below the upper end of the armrest,
The said armrest has a contact surface which the said passenger | crew's arm contacts at the time of a driving | operation, and a guide surface extended toward the said functional operation part from the said contact surface, The operating device for vehicles characterized by the above-mentioned.   The vehicle operating device according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface and the guide surface are formed as a continuous surface.   The vehicle operation device according to claim 1, wherein the function operation unit and the guide surface are provided on a side of the armrest opposite to the occupant.   4. The vehicular operating device according to claim 1, wherein the function operating unit is disposed in front of a front end of the armrest. 5.   The vehicle operation device according to claim 4, wherein the functional operation unit is arranged in front of a front end of the armrest when the seat is in a relaxed position.   The vehicle operating device according to claim 1, wherein the guide surfaces are formed on both sides in the width direction of the armrest.   The vehicle operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a lower support portion that supports the arm or hand of the occupant from below is formed at a lower end of the guide surface.   The vehicle operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an outer support portion that supports the arm or hand of the occupant from outside is formed outside the guide surface.   The vehicular operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an upper end of the guide surface is disposed on an inner side toward the rear in a top view. The vehicle is automatically driven,
The vehicle operating device according to claim 1, wherein the function of the vehicle that is set to the automatic driving is controlled via the function operating unit.   The vehicle operation device according to claim 10, wherein the functional operation unit and the guide surface are provided on a side of the armrest opposite to the occupant.

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